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Prince's 10 Hottest Female Protégés

We don't know how we missed it, but yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of the release of Purple Rain—the movie, not the album. And when we think of that classic film, we think of one thing: Prince getting his ass beat by his dad Apollonia stripping down to go skinny-dipping in the waters of Lake Minnetonka.

Prince has always had top-shelf taste in women, and nothing shows that more than the impressive list of singers, dancers, and just plain hot girls whom he discovered, changed the names of, and mentored (presumably with his genitals). It was actually tough to narrow it down to ten, but we're pressed for space (this bandwidth ain't cheap, people). So, Apollonia, this one's for you!

APOLLONIAReal Name: Apollonia KoteroPrince Era:Purple RainFun Fact: Actually recorded the first version of "Manic Monday" (which Prince wrote), before those filthy Bangles took it and blew up.

DIAMOND AND PEARLReal Names: Lori Elle and Robia LaMortePrince Era:Diamonds and PearlsFun Fact: Diamond and Pearl are not actually composed of the mineral substances they're named after. Shocker, we know.

CARMEN ELECTRAReal Name: Tara Patrick (and now you know where Linda Ann Hopkins got her porn name!)Prince Era: When he changed his name to that glyph that means "I hate Warner Brothers."Fun Fact: On her eponymous debut R&B/rap album, Carmen actually didn't write her own lyrics. We know!

MAYTE GARCIAReal Name: Mayte GarciaPrince Era:Chaos and Disorder, Emancipation, Crystal Ball. (Three albums, 9 CDs, combined sales of 17. We see why they got the marriage annulled.)Fun Fact: At one time she was considered the world's youngest belly dancer. And Prince is the world's oldest woodland nymph!

TÃMARReal Name: Ashley DavisPrince Era:3121Fun Fact: She was one of the original members of Girl's Tyme, along with Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland. Guess what group that went on to become? If you said Bell Biv DeVoe, you're right!

VANITYReal Name: Denise MatthewsPrince Era:Controversy and 1999Fun Fact: Before she met Prince, Vanity was the face of Pearl Drops toothpaste. A face full of pearl drops? That's Prince's top requirement!